BRITISH MANUFACTURERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 121, 15 February 1919, Page 11

BRITISH MANUFACTURERS

ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION. The president (Mr. James Macintosh) occupied the chair at the annual meeting of the Wellington 'branch of the New Zealand Association of British Manufacturers and Agents held in the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon. The annual report stated that during the year the New' Zealand Association of British Manufacturers and Agents was duly constituted. The rules of the association provided for a small governing executive, and Messrs. James Macintosh and C. E. Richardson were appointed the representatives from the Wellington brancL It was found that in some instances British manufacturers had more than one representative in New. Zealand, and it was considered that no one manufacturer should be asked to join more than one branch of the association. To meet this difficulty it,was arranged that all subscriptions received from British manufacturers should be "pooled"; one-third of the subscriptions to be contributed to the funds of the New Zealand Association and the remaining two-thirds to be divided among the branches in proportion to their New Zealand membership. "It will readily lie appreciated," states the report, "that the work,of the association is likely to be more effective and its infhienco greater, now that representations will be made by a body acting on behalf of the united interests of the agents of British manufacturers throughout the Dominion. ?'ln section .16 of the Finance Act. 1018, provision is made whereby any taxpayer can be called upon toy the Commissioner of Taxes to contribute to war loans to an extent not exceeding six times the yearly averago of the land and income tax payable' for the three years ended March 31, 1018. The section also contains a speoial clause whereby absentee taxpayers are liable for compulsory contribution to war loans, and, as is the case in regard to income tax, an agent is personally liable for subscriptions due by his principals. In May last your council waited'as a deputation upon the Acting Minister of Finance, Son. A. M. Myers, and the onerous and unfair position in expecting British manufacturers who already have made heavy contributions to Imperial war loans to contribute to New Zealand loans, and in making agents resident in -New Zealand personally responsible' for the amount liable to be contributed by their overseas principals, was pointed out to the Minister. The Minister could not waive tho obligation for such contributions to loans, but he undertook that sufficient time would be_ given to agents to communicate with their principals and to receive Teplies. Each case will then be dealt with by the Commissioner of Taxes upon its merits. A circular re-, garding this matter was issued.to mem-: bers in May last. Tour council purpose making representations again to the Minister of Finance to urge repeal of these provisions in the Act. "In conjunction with the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, your council took up with the Comptroller of Customs the matter of ad valorem duties and the position which had arisen in regard' to the assessment of duty- on home consumption values consequent upon increasing values during the war period botween date of acceptance of order and date of shipment. The following communication was received from the Comptroller of Customs, and it is <,uoled for tho information of members:—

" 'Claims aro not to be made against importers for increased duty on account of rise in price of merchandise as between the date of invoicing or order and the date of shipment, where it is sp.tinfactorily shown that the invoice price is the genuine purohase price as between a buyer in New Zealand and an exports. This does not apply to house-to-house invoices or to cases where thero is no real purchase as ordinarily understood,' "The present membership of tho branch includes 62 British manufacturers and 83 Wellington representatives. This includes a number of British manufacturers who have become members of the association since the end of the financial year. There have been few meetings of trade sections during the year. The initiative of holding is, of course, on members of trade sections, but a« there has 'been no legislation introduced affecting the commercial community other than that arising out of tho war, and in view of tho restricted supplies from Britain, the council assumes tlmf the necessity for holding meetings of trade sections has not arisen."

The report was adopted. The following officers were elected Groceries, provisions, and confectionery section, Messrs. James Macintosh, A. A. Stichbury; motor?, cycles, and accessories section, Mr. G. H. Scott; paper and printers' requisites section, Mr. W. L. Meek; electrical, machinery, and hardware section, Messrs. C. E. Richardson, A. I). Itiley, W. F. Cu.thbertson; drapery, textiles, and furnishing? section, Messrs. S. Brioe, L. D. Hurst, W. Kirker. No election was made in the case of the chemicals, paints, and oils, tho wine, spirits, and tobacco, aad the stationery and fancy goods seofcfons. These appointments will bo mda by the new, coimolL *